Spark controlling mechanism



Patented Apr. 12, 1 938 PATENT OFFICE SPARK CONTROLLING MECHANISM John R. Rippe, Fresno, Calif.

Application April 21, 1934, Serial No. 721,702 Claims. (01. 1 23-143) My invention relates tomeans for controlling thetiming of ignition sparks in an internal combustion engine, and is particularly concerned with a means for varying the time of occurrence of such sparks. i

An object or my invention is to provide an automatic means for suitably timing the occurrence of a spark in an engine' Another object of my invention is to provide means which willafiord at least two entirely separate times of ignition in an engine, in response to operating conditions of the engine.

A further object of my inventionis to simplify materially the spark timingmechanism of anignition system.

The foregoing and other objects are attained in the embodiment of theinvention shown in the drawing, in which i v Fig. l is a schematic diagram of a controlling mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention and responsivelto voltage conditions.

. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram oi'a modified spark controlling mechanism of my invention, being responsive to oil pressure 'in the engine.

In its preferred form, thenspark controlling mechanism of my invention is for use in connection with an engine having an ignition circuit, and includes a spark retard circuit interrupter and a sparkadvance circuit interrupter either of which is optionally includable in the circuit in response to a condition of the operation of the engine-for instance, in response to oil pressure in the engine lubricating system, or in response to a voltage condition or the engine generator system.

In the form of the invention disclosed in Fig. L'there'is an ignition circuit including a source of electricity, such as a battery 15 which at one side is grounded as at l and at the other side is connected through anammeter 8 and a lead 9 to a master switch I0. From the master switch III a lead I extends to a switch lever |2 which at one end is pivoted to a support |3 by-a pin l4 for oscillation between suitable stops l6 and l1. The support is mounted on any suitable base -|8 but is electrically insulated therefrom by a nonconducting pad |9.- :The'lever l2 itself is electrically conducting and co -operates with a conductor 2|, having a terminal22, which leads to a spark retard circuit-interrupter lever 23.

Lever 23, which is electrically conducting, is pivoted at one end by a pin '24 mounted on a bracket 26 connected through a suitable electric insulator 21 to a support 28; The other end of the lever is provided with a contact 29 adapted to co-operate with acomparable contact 3| mounted on but electrically insulated from a suitable support 32 and leading to one end of the primary 33 of a suitable ignition coil 34, the other end of the primary being connected to ground as at 36. The secondary 31 of the coil 34 isconnected by a lead 38 to a conventional distributor 39 fromwhich extend individual circuits 4| leading to spark plugs 42 which finally are connected'to ground as at 43.

Somewhat similarly, the lever I2 is adapted also to co-operate with a terminal 46 which is joined by a conductor 41 to an electrically conducting lever 48 oneend of which is connected by a pivot 49 to a bracket 5| mounted on but electrically isolated from the support 28 by an insulator 52. The lever 48 likewise carries a contact 53 which is adapted to co-operate with a contact 54 .mounted on the electrically insulated base 32 and isolated electrically fromthe contact 3| by an insulator 56. The contact 54 is connected to one end of the primary 5! of a second ignition coil 53, the other end of the primary bei g joined to ground, as at 59. The secondary 6| or the coil 58 is connected to the lead 38 and therefore is in electrical communication. with the distributor 39 and the various spark plugs 42. The contacts 53 and 54 as well as the contacts 29 and 3| can be bridged by condensers, not shown,- in the usual Way.

In order that the lever 23 will be effective to operate the contacts 29 and 3| to interrupt the circuit to produce a relatively retarded spark, there is provided on the lever 23 an electrically insulating abutment 62 which in efiect is a cam follower operating against a multi-lobed cam 63 mounted to rotate in the direction of the arrow 64 in time with the operation or the engine to which the system pertains. The position of the abutment 62 with respect to the cam. 63 is such that the contacts 29 and 3| are separated to produce a so-called retarded spark in the spark plugs 42. y

Thelever 48 is likewise provided with an electrically insulatingprojection 63 which is so located, however, as to be contacted by the lobes 5 I of the cam 63 at'such a time in the rotation, of the shaft as to produce a so-called advanced spark, by separation or the points 53 and 54. Thus, when the points 29 and 3| are in circuit there is a retarded spark at the sparkplugs 42, while when the contacts or interrupters 53 and 54 are in circuit an advanced spark is produced at the spark plugs 42. Of course, the precise timing is adjustable in accordance with usual practice.

I utilize either one of the pair of interrupters in accordance with any selected condition which occurs in the engine to which the system pertains. The engine is provided with a suitable generator 61, one side of which is connected to ground by a lead 68 and the other side of which is connected by a lead 89 to a. voltage cut-out H of a standard kind. The function of the cut-out is to remain open when the generator 61 is rotating so slowly as to produce only a relatively low voltage, while the cut-out H automatically closes and incorporates the generator 67 in a charging circuit when the voltage rises to and above a predetermined value which depends upon the speed of operation of the generator and correspondingly of the engine.

The cut-out H, when closed, includes the grounded generator in circuit by a lead I2 which extends to a solenoid 13 connected through a lead 14 to the lead 9 and thence through the ammeter 8 and battery 6 to ground. The solenoid 13 is provided with a plunger 16 which is connected to but insulated from the lever l2, and the attraction of the solenoid when energized is opposed by an insulated coil spring 11. The spring normally urges the lever [2 against the stop It and with the interrupters 29 and Si in the ignition circuit to produce a retarded spark. When the speed of the engine increases sufiiciently so that the voltage generated by the generator 67 is ample to close the cut-out and to put the generator in circuit with the battery 6, then the solenoid i3 is simultaneously and correspondingly effective to pull the plunger 76 into the solenoid, overcoming the urgency of the spring Ti and moving the lever I2 so that the terminal 46 is electrically connected with the lever and the terminal 22 is electrically disconnected therefrom. This action occurs abruptly so that the interrupter 29, 3| is abruptly cut out of the circuit while the interrupter 53, 54 is abruptly and simultaneously introduced into the circuit.

The ignition spark timing, therefore, is altered from retarded condition to advanced condition abruptly at the proper point in the operation of the engine, dependent upon the speed of operation thereof. The reverse change occurs as the engine slows down and the voltage of the electricity supplied by the generator 6'! is reduced below the critical value. Then the cut-out H opens and the solenoid 13, being therefore deenergized, permits the spring H to return the lever l2 to the position shown in Fig. 1, thereby returning the contacts 29 and 3| to their active condition in the circuit and removing the interrupters 53 and 54 from actively affecting the circuit. The ignition spark is then in retarded condition.

As indicated in Fig. 2, there is another condition which is responsive to engine speed and somewhat to engine load, which can be utilized in place of the electrical voltage. In this arrangement, which in many respects is comparable with the arrangement previously described, and in which is connected by a rod 86 and an electricallyine sulating pivotal joint 81 to an extension 88 on the lever l2. When the pressure developed by the operation of the pump 82 is below a critical value, the bellows 84 is incapable of overcoming the bias or urgency of the spring 11, which may be adjusted or set at any desired value, and the spark remains in a retarded condition. Nevertheless, when the pump 82 is efi'ective to-raise the pressure in the bellows above a predetermined value, then such bellows is effective abruptly to overcome the urgency of the spring 11 and to move the lever I2 from its position in conjunction with the terminal 22 into a position in conjunction with the terminal 46, so that the spark is abruptly changed at the critical pressure existing in'the bellows and corresponding to a critical speed and load of the engine, from its retarded condition to its advanced condition.

The reverse action occurs when the speed of the engine decreases below a critical point and the pressure exerted upon the bellows 34 by the pump 82 drops below a critical value. At such time the urgency of the spring TI is ample to overcome the counter-urgency of the bellows 84 exerted through the rod 86, and the lever I2 is returned from its position in conjunction with the terminal 46 to its position in conjunction with the terminal 22, thereby restoring the spark from its advanced condition to its retarded condition.

In accordance with my invention, therefore, there is provided means responsive to a condition, such as speed and load of the engine, which is efiective to alter the ignition spark from a retarded condition to an advanced condition, and vice versa.

I claim:

1. A spark controlling mechanism comprising an engine ignition circuit, a retarded spark circuit interrupter, an advanced spark circuit interrupter, a switch for alternatively including either one of said interrupters in said circuit, and means responsive to a critical speed of said engine for abruptly actuating said switch to include said advanced spark circuit interrupter in said circuit and to. exclude said retarded spark circuit interrupter from said circuit.

2. A spark controlling mechanism comprising an engine ignition circuit, a first circuit interrupter, a firstinduction mechanism operating in conjunction with said first'circuit interrupter, a second circuit interrupter, a second induction mechanism inductively isolated from said first induction mechanism and operating in conjunction with said second circuit interrupter, and means responsive to a critical speed of said en gine for abruptly including one of said circuit interrupters and its associated induction mechanism in said circuit and excludingthe other of said circuit interrupters and itsassociated induction mechanism therefrom.

3. A spark controlling mechanism comprising an engineignition circuit; a retarded spark circuitrinterrupter; a first induction coil including a primary winding, a core, anda secondary winding adapted to be controlled by said retarded spark interrupter; an advanced spark circuit interrupten'a second induction coilv including a primary winding, acore, and a secondary Winding adapted to be controlled by saidadvanced spark interrupter; a switch for alternatively including either one of said interrupters and the primary Winding of the associated one of said coils in said circuit and excluding the other .of said interrupters and the primary winding of the other one of said coils fromsaid circuit, and

means responsive to the operation of the engine to which said circuit pertains for operating said switch. I

first coil in said circuit and to exclude said ad vanced spark circuit interrupter and said second coil from said circuit, and means responsive-to an increase in the speed of operation of the engine to which said circuit pertains for overcoming the urgency of said means to include said tarded spark circuit interrupter and said first coil from said circuit.

5. A spark controlling mechanism comprising an engine ignition circuit, a retarded spark circuit interrupter, an advanced spark circuit interrupter, a pair of inductively isolated induction coil primary windings one for each of said interrupters, a switch for alternatively including either one' of said interrupters and its respective primary Winding in said circuit, and means responsive to a critical speed of said engine for abruptly actuating said switch to include said advanced spark circuit interrupter and its respective primary winding in said circuit and to exclude said retarded spark circuit interrupter and its respective primary winding from said circuit.

JOHN RIPPE. 20 

